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data-image_url="https://static.timesofisrael.com/ajn/uploads/2024/10/KEDEMDeborahandM_37836.jpg" data-image_width="600" data-image_height="270"> <div class="banner-placeholder-ajn"> <div id="div-gpt-ad-ATF_LB_1" class="banner b728x90 ATF_LB_1" data-class=".banner.b728x90.ATF_LB_1" data-old-name="ATF_LB_1" data-name="header_billboard" data-size="[[970, 250], [728, 90]]" data-account="178876888" > <script type="text/javascript"> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("div-gpt-ad-ATF_LB_1"); }); </script> </div></div> <div class="sidebar-control">home page</div> <div class="article-content-container sticky-sidebar-relative"> <div class="article-wrap"> <header> <div class="above-headline"><span class="label"><span class="label" data-text="A joyful jewish life">A joyful jewish life</span></span><span class="overline empty"></span></div> <h1 class="headline">Kedem: Warm, inclusive community</h1> <h2 class="underline">Kedem's president Deborah Absler said that Kedem's motto is a joyful Jewish life.</h2> <div class="under-headline"> <div class="wrap-byline"> <span class="byline"> By <a title="Carol Saffer" href="https://www.australianjewishnews.com/writers/carol-saffer/">Carol Saffer</a> </span> <span class="date">October 28, 2024, 3:43 pm</span> <span class="comments"> <a href="#comments"></a> </span> <span class="edit empty"> <a data-id="1296404" href="/wp-admin/post.php?post=1296404&action=edit">Edit</a> </span> </div> <ul class="social"> <li class="facebook"> <a class="popup" data-width="670" data-height="546" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.australianjewishnews.com%2Fkedem-warm-inclusive-community%2F"> <span>Facebook</span> </a> </li><li class="twitter"> <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kedem%3A+Warm%2C+inclusive+community&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.australianjewishnews.com%2Fkedem-warm-inclusive-community%2F&via=aus_jewishnews"> <span>Twitter</span> </a> </li><li class="whatsapp"><a target="_blank" 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src="https://static.timesofisrael.com/ajn/uploads/2024/10/KEDEMDeborahandM_37836-640x400.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Thirty years of presidents at Kedem's 30th anniversary. Photo: supplied" decoding="async" title="Thirty years of presidents at Kedem's 30th anniversary. Photo: supplied" /></a><div class="caption">Thirty years of presidents at Kedem's 30th anniversary. Photo: supplied</div></div> <div class="article-content"> <div class="the-content"> <p>Kehillat David HaMelech, known as Kedem, is a progressive community and synagogue celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. <p>On June 23, 1994, Kedem held its first service followed by an invitation to participants to attend a coffee morning to discuss the type of community they would like to create. <div id="div-gpt-ad-BTF_MPU_1" class="banner b300x250 BTF_MPU_1" data-class=".banner.b300x250.BTF_MPU_1" data-old-name="BTF_MPU_1" data-name="article_mrec_inline" data-size="[300, 250]" data-account="178876888" > <script type="text/javascript"> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("div-gpt-ad-BTF_MPU_1"); }); </script> </div> <p>In September 1995 they were officially welcomed as part of the VUPJ and later the UPJ. <p>Kedem offers two types of Shabbat services.</p> <p>A Saturday morning Torah service, held on the first Saturday of the month at The King David School and a “Service for the Soul” on the third Saturday of the month, which is a Renewal style Shabbat morning service with meditation and chanting, in a private home.</p> <p>Kedem’s president Deborah Absler said that Kedem’s motto is a joyful Jewish life.</p> <p>“I believe that what we offer is special; a Progressive Judaism congregation which is welcoming and interested in the diversity that exists within our broader community.”</p> <p>Kedem provides a base that is flexible and inclusive, one that reflects the different family constellations and structures that exist within society.</p> <p>People who identify as Jewish and want to express that in different ways are welcome at Kedem.</p> <p>Andrew Gelbart and his wife were married in St Kilda Shule.</p> <p>“We ended up with two daughters, and we felt the way Judaism is structured in an Orthodox shule didn’t allow them to do the things that they might want to do, and they were little then, so we said let’s go and play in this other space.”</p> <p>The Gelbart family were part of the inaugural meeting 30 years ago.</p> <p>They joined the congregation because the “flexible and participatory nature of Kedem provided opportunities for women to be actively involved in the services and decision-making processes”, Gelbart said.</p> <p>Kedem’s services are lay-led by members who take on all of the service roles. By combining the skills of their various members, the services are innovative and engaging.</p> <p>Visiting rabbis for the High Holy Days join the lay leaders to create interesting, thought provoking and enriching Jewish experiences.</p> <p>Kabbalat Shabbat shared dinners are relaxed celebrations throughout the year, held in private homes.</p> <p>Services are held for all of the festivals throughout the year in addition to study sessions, tikkun olam projects, a b’nei mitzvah program and social gatherings.</p> <p>Kedem provides lay leadership for funerals, minyanim, consecrations and baby namings.</p> <p>More information at kedem.com.au</p> <p class="newsletter-promo moveto-p2"> <a href="/signup/?utm_source=ajn-articles&utm_medium=middle-link&utm_campaign=signup-buttons"> Get The AJN Newsletter by email and never miss our top stories </a> <a href="/signup/?utm_source=ajn-articles&utm_medium=middle-link&utm_campaign=signup-buttons"> Free Sign Up </a> </p> </div> <div class="article-topics"> <div>read more:</div> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.australianjewishnews.com/topic/community-heartbeat/">Community Heartbeat</a> </li> </ul> </div> <ul class="social bottom"> <li class="facebook"> <a class="popup" data-width="670" data-height="546" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.australianjewishnews.com%2Fkedem-warm-inclusive-community%2F"> <span>Facebook</span> </a> </li><li class="twitter"> <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kedem%3A+Warm%2C+inclusive+community&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.australianjewishnews.com%2Fkedem-warm-inclusive-community%2F&via=aus_jewishnews"> <span>Twitter</span> </a> </li><li class="whatsapp"><a target="_blank" href="https://wa.me?text=The Australian Jewish News: Kedem%3A+Warm%2C+inclusive+community https%3A%2F%2Fwww.australianjewishnews.com%2Fkedem-warm-inclusive-community%2F"><span></span></a></li><li class="email open_mailto" data-article="1296404" data-lang="eng" data-site="The Australian Jewish News" data-title="Kedem: Warm, inclusive community"> <a target="_blank" href="mailto:?subject=The Australian Jewish News: Kedem: Warm, inclusive community&body=I found this on The Australian Jewish News and thought it might interest you: https%3A%2F%2Fwww.australianjewishnews.com%2Fkedem-warm-inclusive-community%2F" onclick="return false;"> <span>email</span> </a> </li><li class="print"><a href="javascript:window.print();"><span>Print</span></a></li> </ul>   <div id="comments" class="comments"> <h5>comments </h5> <div class="fb-comments" data-href="http://www.australianjewishnews.com/kedem-warm-inclusive-community/" data-numposts="5"></div> </div>  </div> </div> <aside class="sidebar sticky-sidebar"> <div class="sticky-sidebar-wrap"> <div id="div-gpt-ad-BTF_SKY_1" class="banner b300x250 BTF_SKY_1" data-class=".banner.b300x250.BTF_SKY_1" data-old-name="BTF_SKY_1" data-name="article_half_page_sidebar" data-size="[300, 250]" data-account="178876888" > <script type="text/javascript"> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("div-gpt-ad-BTF_SKY_1"); }); </script> </div>    <div id="div-gpt-ad-BTF_MPU_2" class="banner b300x250 BTF_MPU_2" data-class=".banner.b300x250.BTF_MPU_2" data-old-name="BTF_MPU_2" data-name="article_mrec_sidebar" data-size="[300, 250]" data-account="178876888" > <script type="text/javascript"> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("div-gpt-ad-BTF_MPU_2"); }); </script> </div> </div> </aside> </div> </article> </div> <div class="ajax-sidebar main"></div> </div> <script> ( function ( body ) { 'use strict'; body.className = body.className.replace( /\btribe-no-js\b/, 'tribe-js' ); } )( document.body ); </script>   <noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-PDHTZLL" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden" aria-hidden="true"></iframe></noscript> <script> /* <![CDATA[ */var tribe_l10n_datatables = {"aria":{"sort_ascending":": activate to sort column ascending","sort_descending":": activate to sort column descending"},"length_menu":"Show _MENU_ entries","empty_table":"No data available in table","info":"Showing _START_ to _END_ of _TOTAL_ entries","info_empty":"Showing 0 to 0 of 0 entries","info_filtered":"(filtered from _MAX_ total entries)","zero_records":"No matching records found","search":"Search:","all_selected_text":"All items on this page were selected. 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